THE TOWN OF YON'KERS. 62 1 



There are still the remains of a considerable fort on the north end of 

 the ridge. During the Revolutionary struggle, the valley south from 

 Vault Hill to Kings Bridge, appears to have been the constant scene of 

 skirmishing between the two armies. 



On the 3d of July, 1781, General Washington planned an expedition 

 to cut off Colonel James de Lancey, stationed in the vale, and Major 

 Pruschanck, another British officer occupying Cortlandt ridge, in com- 

 mand of the Yager horse. 



It had been so arranged that the Duke of Lauzun should march to 

 Williams' Bridge, and there make his rendezvous till daylight the follow- 

 ing morning. General Lincoln was to be piloted down from Tappan 

 and landed below Yonkers, while Washington himself should take post 

 on Valentine's hill. Lauzun accordingly conducted his cavalry to Wil- 

 liam's Bridge, where he halted. In the mean time General Lincoln had 

 been landed half a mile below the village, on the property now owned by 

 Thomas W. Ludlow, Esq., then occupied by Isaac Post. After landing, 

 Lincoln, guided by Major Lawrence, passed along shore south, missing 

 Col. Emmerick with his corps marching north to Boar hill ; then cross- 

 ing over the hills east, Lincoln followed the course of Tippett's brook, 

 for the purpose of avoiding Pruschank's corps, stationed upon Cort- 

 landt's ridge. Passing the Van Cortlandt residence, he kept close to the 

 edge of Gun and Locust hills, and had arrived in the vicinity of General 

 Montgomery's house, (then occupied by his widow.) unobserved by the 

 sentinels on the opposite side, when the enemy's patrol fired. De 

 Lancey, instantly on the alert, commenced his retreat in face of General 

 Lincoln's advancing columns. Totten, De Lancey's heutentant, seemed 

 determined to make a stand, but soon received positive orders from De 

 Lancey to retire, which he did, just in time to avoid the surprisal. 



Colonel Armand, the celebrated French cavalary officer made a dar- 

 ing and successful attempt to surprise a large piquet of Green Yagers, 

 stationed at Warner's store, under the command of De Wurmb. For 

 this purpose Armand left his quarters above the Croton and proceeded 

 down the main post road to the village of Yonkers ; after passing the 

 village, and when in the neighborhood of the enemy's encampment, he 

 started his whole corps on a full gallop. The Yagers had taken the pre- 

 caution to post a sentinel at Hadley's spring, but the poor fellow became 

 so perfectly alarmed and powerless on seeing the furious onset of Ar- 

 mand's horse, that he could give no alarm, and was instantly dispatched. 

 The consequence was, the whole corps were killed or made prison- 

 ers. Cononel Armand then made good his retreat, passing in front of the 

 Van Cortlandt residence, and returning by way of Tippett's valley. In 



